Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul (June 28-29, 2014)

In today’s gospel Jesus asks us, his present day disciples, a question - ‘who do you say that I am?’ The question has been raised ever since Jesus began his public ministry. Who is this man who lived in the first century, spoke with authority, went around doing good, forgave the sinner, and raised the dead to life? It is a fundamental question that we all must answer because the answer takes us to the very heart of our Christian beliefs.

As I share my thoughts, I encourage you to accept them as my personal response to Our Lord’s question. From a literary point of view, I will be using the pronoun I rather than we, even though I obviously intend my thoughts to refer to all of us.

Lord, I know that, in the days of your youth, you were known as the carpenter’s son. It was during those years that you learned how to create, transform, and repair inanimate objects with the aid of your carpenter’s tools. Then as an adult, you continued to build, transform, and repair but you replaced your hammer with the Word of God and you shifted your focus from the inanimate to the living.

You now ask, “Who do I profess you to be?

I believe that you are the Creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I stand in awe of your majestic power and the mighty work of your hands. Great indeed are you O Lord and all creation owes its very existence to you. I am eternally grateful and blessed that you called me to be part of your glorious creation.

I profess you to be the Anointed One, who humbled himself and took on our humanity. You came into the world, not to condemn it, but to transform it into your image and likeness. You know my progress because you know my every thought, word and deed. When I stumble, I am comforted knowing that your right hand will hold me fast.

All glory and honor to you , the Mighty One of Israel, who called your church into being, but wisely left the details - the “how too,” and the “what’s next” - in the hands of your beloved disciples and their successors. You said to Peter. “… upon this rock I will build my Church. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Whoever hears you hears me, and whoever rejects you rejects me.” (Lk10:16). You will not journey alone for I will send an Advocate to teach you all that you need to know. “Go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28:19-20)

Lord, I find it extremely surprising that you gave such a lofty and holy endeavor to the apostles with such minimal direction. Oh, how you must trust in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of the faithful and to enkindle in them the fire of your love.

Lord, you will forever remain to be the “Bright and Morning Star” and your glow can be seen from both near and far. When I was an infant, my parents and godparents led me to the waters of baptism where I died and rose with you to new life. I now pray that you will open my ears to receive your word and open my mouth so that I can proclaim the faith to the praise and glory of God the Father.

In your infinite wisdom, you correctly gave the apostles the responsibility of safeguarding the Deposit of Faith as it is handed down from generation to generation. They have become our pillars of faith because, even under the threats of persecution and martyrdom, they maintained an ardent faith and an enduring love for you.

Primary among them were Peter and Paul who were martyred in Rome and whose feast day we celebrate annually, on the 29th day of June.

Paul (who was officially known as Saul at that time) was greatly feared by your disciples. He was a highly educated Pharisee and a Roman citizen. He was arrogant and ruthlessly pursued our brothers and sisters. To gain Paul’s attention, you disrupted his journey to Damascus by knocking him off his “high” horse and taking away his eyesight. For three days he remained startled and confused. When first knocked to the ground Paul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” You simply responded – “I am Jesus ...”

From that point forward, Paul became your chosen instrument to make your name known to the gentiles and to the people of Israel. I am inspired when I realize that Paul came to know you the same way I have – by the grace of the Holy Spirit and by the stories of the eye witnesses. Paul ushered in a new age for the Church and under his influence and the charisms of the Holy Spirit it spread like wildfire.

Following his conversion, Paul no longer needed to ask, “who are you, Lord?” You worked so powerfully in his life that he came to know, without a shadow of doubt, that you are indeed a living Deity. You are, “Jesus, the Son of God.”

Peter, on the other hand, was your companion. He was impulsive and passionate. I’m sure he came to know you intimately as you lived in his house, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He must have gleaned much from you as you dined, prayed, and conversed with him.

His primacy among the apostles has never been challenged. Still I wonder to what degree his Jewish ancestry clouded his vision. Up until Pentecost, Peter remained a Jew who was longing to see the Messiah; a warrior who would lead the Jews from glory to glory one victory after another. The final outcome of your divine mission eluded him. He was totally unaware that your mission would include a shameful death and a glorious resurrection.

He was stunned when you sternly corrected him for pledging to defend you from anyone who wished you harm. He couldn’t believe that his love and devotion for you could ever become an obstacle. Your “get behind me Satan” response indicated to everyone that you would not tolerate the actions of anyone who would interfere with your pledge of total obedience to the Father.

Lord you called Peter and Paul to be part of your creation and they both listened for you and they discovered your voice. In like manner, you gave all humanity your blessed assurance that all who seek you we will find you. However, you forewarned us that you would not be found where most people look. You will not be found in the sound of thunder, nor will you be found in the roar of the ocean. You will not be found in our most recent purchase, nor will you be found in our bank account.

You are the Emmanuel who resides in each of our hearts. You dwell in the very center of our being, giving us life and providing us with a knowledge which is beyond the understanding of the mind of man.

Lord, who do I say you are?

You are my life and my breath; The Master Carpenter, The Creator of all things, the Anointed One, the Bright and Morning Star, and Emmanuel.
You are - the Great I Am who offered his life so that we would no longer be mastered by deception and sin, and most assuredly as Peter correctly discerned - you are the Christ the Son of the living God.